AIATF chief Bitta slams govt over plight of Kashmiri Pandits

All India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF) chief MS Bitta today backed the demands of Kashmiri Pandits, saying their "plight" reminds him of the Punjab insurgency, even as he slammed the political leadership for
"failing" to get the desired "homeland" for the community.

Addressing a group of Kashmiri Pandits at Jantar Mantar, he cited security actions taken during the Punjab insurgency to make his point and also slammed the BJP for joining hands with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir.

On the occasion of 'World Refugee Day', hundreds of members of the displaced community gathered to press their demand for recognition as "Internally Displaced Persons". They also submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.

"The plight of Kashmiri Pandits reminds me of the Punjab insurgency... So, please don't call yourself refugees. This is Hindustan and not a dharamshala. We are the victims of Indian politics. Did we give the Khalistani terrorists the facilities we provide to people like (Syed Ali Shah) Geelani? The answer to bullets lies only in bullets," Bitta said.

The gathering also saw the presence of a large number of youngsters sporting arm bands which bore the message, "We Want Homeland".

Notwithstanding Bitta's remarks, many of them said that despite the "bunglings of the past" by the political class, they had expectations from Prime Minister Modi.

In the memorandum to the prime minister, the Panun Kashmir group demanded that the government drop the tag of "migrants" and instead recognise the community as "internally displaced persons".